Automatic record player

ABSTRACT

An automatic record player capable of functioning with various capabilities, which essentially comprises a tonearm, a turntable, a turntable drive system for rotating the turntable at a predetermined speed selected by the setting of a speed control knob, an operational mode control including a control knob manually movable to any one of start, manual and stop positions and a record size selector for permitting the tonearm to be brought to the lead-in groove of a record of a predetermined diameter at the time of start of operation of the record player. The automatic record player herein provided is easily manufactured with a substantial reduction of the costs in manufacture.

United States Patent 1191 Miyoshi Nov. 19, 1974 1 AUTOMATIC RECORDPLAYER [51] Int. Cl. Gllb 17/08 [75] Inventor: Seizo Osaka Japan Fleldof Search 274/10 R [73] Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,

Ltd Osaka, Japan [56] References Cited 22 Filed: Nov. 30, 1972 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,625,521 12/1971 Caddy 274/10 R PP N011 310,7083,697,087 10/1972 Takahashi... 274/10 R 3,762,723 10/1973 Tourtellot274/10 R [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 6 1971 Japan46-98781 m 'l Dec. 6, 1971 Japan l l I i I I l l 4698782 Attorney,Agent, or Frrm-Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack Dec. 6, 1971 Japan 46-98783 Dec.10, 1971 Japan 46-100393 [57] ABSTRACT Dec. 10, 1971 Japan 46-100394 Anautomatic record p y capable of i i g DEC. 1 l, 1971 Japan 46-100482various capabilities, essentially Comprises a 1971 Japan 15157w]tonearm, a turntable, a turntable drive system for ro- 1971 4155mmtating the turntable at a predetermined speed selected 1971 l6972w] bythe setting of a speed control knob, an operational 1971 17075w] modecontrol including a control knob manually mov- Japan 461l7076w] able toany one of start, manual and stop positions and 1971 Japan 170mm] arecord size selector for permitting the tonearm to be 1971 Japan 46417O79w] brought to the lead-in groove of a record of a prede- 1971170mm] termined diameter at the time of start of operation of 1971japan'm 17083w] the record player. The automatic record player hereinDEC. 8, 1971 Japan.... 46-1 l7084-[U] provided is manufactured aSubstantial Dec. 8, 1971 Japan 46-117085[U] duction of the costs inmanufacture [52] US. Cl 274/10 R 8 Claims, 36 Drawing Figures STOP MANOFF START PATENIELHUVISIBH sum uanr 3.848.875 I E5 to 5% at 1 PATENTEuuv 1 91974 sum on HF 17 VGFm PATENIE rm 1 91.974

SHEET "08 0F 17 FIG/l5 PATENTEL NOV 1 91874 sum 12 or 1T PATENIE SUV 1 9I974 sum 1% aw r11 PATENIE rm 1 91974 848,875

sum 15 0F 1? WT L '|L I 7 8 r STOP MAN OFF START FIG. /9

PATENTE as; 1 91974 sum is or 17 \N @Fm AUTOMATIC RECORD PLAYER Thepresent invention relates to an automatic record player and has for itsobject to provide an automatic record player having the followingvarious capabilities:

1. Automatic individual performance of a plurality of records mounted onthe multi-play turntable spindle in a stacked arrangement. In this case,only by setting the control knob to the START position, the variousmovable mechanisms of the record player can be set in operation and,after the last one of the stacked records has been played out,automatically return to their respective initial positions with thepower source switched off.

2. Manual shift of the tonearm to the lead-in groove of the record onthe turntable. In this case, only by setting the control knob to the MANposition, the tonearm can be conditioned so as to be manually shifted toanywhere on the record on the turntable and, after the record has beenplayed out, the movable mechanisms of the record player can beautomatically returned to their respective initial positions with thepower source switched off.

3. Rejection of the record being played without permitting the next oneof the stacked records to be fed down the multi-play turntable spindleon to the rotating turntable.

4. Interchangeability of the turntable spindle with any one of themulti-play turntable spindle and singleplay turntable spindle.

5. Manual vertical shift of the tonearm shifting structure. This ispossible by the provision of the cuing device. By operating the cuingdevice, the tonearm can be vertically shifted with the pickup stylusclearing the record and automatically, slowly returned to the downwardlyshifted position.

These and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description taken in conjunction withpreferred embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in

which;

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a record player with themulti-play turntable spindle constructed in accordance with the presentinvention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the arrangement of various mechanisms ofthe record player, with a mounting panel removed,

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the record player shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a tonearm liftingstructure combined with a cuing device, both being employed in therecord player of FIG.

FIG. 5(A) is a top plan view of a portion of the idler wheel and itssupport employed in the record player of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5(B) is a side sectional view of the structure of FIG. 5(A),

FIG. 6(A) is a schematic top plan view of a record size selectingcontrol, showing the selector knob positioned at the position,

FIG. 6(B) is a similar view to FIG. 6(A), showing the selector knobpositioned at the 12" position,

FIG. 6(C) is a similar view to FIG. 6(A), showing the selector knobpositioned at the 7" position.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a portion of the arrangement of the variousmechanisms of the record player, with the mounting panel and a baseplate removed,

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of a tonearm shiftingdevice,

FIG. 9(A) is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of atransmission lever and a rejection link with the drive plate moved toone position,

FIG. 9(B) is a schematic side view of the arrangement of FIG. 9(A),

FIG. 10(A) is a similar diagram to FIG. 9(A), showing the transmissionlever and the rejection link with the drive plate being moved towardsthe opposite position,

FIG. 10(B) is a schematic side view of the arrangement of FIG. 10(A),

FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B) are a schematic top plan view and side view,respectively, of a portion of a turntable spindle drive mechanism,showing the condition wherein the stacked records are supported abovethe turntable,

FIGS. 12(A) and 12(B) are similar views to FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B),showing the condition wherein the lowermost one of the stacked recordsis being fed on to the turntable,

FIGS. 13(A) and 13(3) are similar views to FIGS. 11(A) and 11(B),showing the condition wherein the downward shift of the inner shaft ofthe turntable spindle is obstructed by a barrier plate,

FIGS. 14(A), 14(B) and 14(C) are schematic diagrams showing a top platein various sequential operation positions,

FIG. 15 is a similar view to FIG. 2, showing a portion of thearrangement in detail,

FIG. 16 shows the portion of FIG. 15 actuated when the control knob ismoved to the START position,

FIG. 17 shows the portion of FIG. 15 actuated when the control knob ismoved either to the MAN position or to the STOP position,

FIGS. 18(A) and 18(B) are a schematic top plan view and side view,respectively, of a portion of the turntable spindle drive mechanismshowing the condition wherein the single-play turntable spindle isemployed,

FIG. 19 is a similar view to FIG. 2, but showing another preferredembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a portion of FIG. 19 actuated when thecontrol knob is moved to the START position,

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the portion of FIG. 19 actuated when thecontrol knob is moved to the MAN position,

FIGS. 22 and FIG. 23 are schematic diagrams showing the stop plate indifferent postures, and

FIGS. 24(A) and 24(3) are schematic diagrams of a modified cam member,respectively showing the tonearm shifting device in different operativepositions.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a base plate 3 fixedly suspended from theundersurface of a mounting panel 1 by means of a plurality of suitablefixtures 2 spacing said base plate 3 from said undersurface of saidmounting panel 1 rigidly carries a sleeve 5 upwardly extending therefromthrough the mounting panel 1. This sleeve 5 has mounted therearound athrust ball bearing 4 and rotatably carries a turntable 7 having adownwardly extending geared collar 6 secured to or integrally formedwith said turntable in alignment with the center of said turntable andwith the longitudinal axis of said sleeve 5. The thrust ball bearing 4is, when the turntable 7 is mounted on said sleeve 5, sandwiched betweenthe base plate 1 and the lowermost end face of the geared collar 6 forpermitting the geared collar 6 and, hence, the turntable 7 to undergo asmooth rotation about the longitudinal axis of said sleeve 5.

The gear collar 6 has integrally formed thereon a projection 6aextending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said collar 6, thefunction of which projection 6a will be mentioned later.

The turntable 7 can be rotated in one predetermined direction by asuitable electric motor (not shown) having a drive shaft rigidlyconnected with or integrally formed into a capstan 10 of any knownconstruction having a plurality of, for example, three, differentdiameter portions 10a, 10b and 100, as seen in FIG. B, the rotationalforce of said motor being transmitted to said turntable 7 in any knownmanner through a selected one of said different diameter portions a, 10band 100 of said capstan 10 via an idler wheel 9 selectively engageablewith the peripheral flange of the turntable7 and said capstan 10. Theidler wheel 9 is mechanically connected with a speed selector knob 119through a turntable rotating speed control (not shown) of any knownconstruction such that, depending upon the positioning of the speedselector knob 119 to any one of 33%, 45 and 78 positions whichrespectively stand for the conventionally standardized speeds of rotheturntable 7 to be rotated at a preselected speed.

The turntable rotating speed control may be of any known construction,for example such as disclosed in the US. Pat. No. 3,549,153 patented onDec. 22, 1970. However, according to the present invention, the linkagebetween the idler wheel 9 and the speed control is modified as'shown inFIGS. 5(A) and (B) thereby to permit the height of the idler wheel 9 tobe manually adjustable with respect to any one of the different diameterportions 10a, 10b and 10c of the capstan 10. The linkage so far shown inFIGS. 5(A) and (B) comprises a first arm member 8 suitably pivotallycarried by the mounting panel 1 and having one end slidably engaged withthe caming structure (not shown) of the speed control and the other endformed with a threaded hole 8a and a bearing hole 8b adjacent to saidthreaded hole 8a. This first arm member 8 carries an adjustment screw108 adjustably threaded into the threaded hole 8a of the arm member 8and said adjustment screw 108 has integrally formed thereon a largediameter portion 108a adjacent to the head portion thereof, which has adiameter greater than that of the head portion of said screw 108.

A second arm member 109 has one end portion formed with an opening (notshown) of a diameter slightly greater than that of the head portion ofthe adjustment screw 108, but smaller than that of the large diameterportion 108a thereof, through which opening the head portion of theadjustment screw 108 extends with the end portion of said second armmember 109 resting on the large diameter portion 108a. Adjacent to thisopening, the second arm member 109 is provided with a downwardlyextending pin member inserted in the bearing hole 8b of the first armmember 8 thereby to support the second arm member 109 in position.However, for preventing a possible separation of the second arm member109 from the adjustment screw 108, the end portion of the arm member 109adjacent to the opening is held in position by means of suitablefastening members, such as a snap ring 112 and a spring washer 111.

The idler wheel 9 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 18 which is in turnrigidly secured to a third arm member pivotally carried by the secondarm member 109. The pivotal connection between the second and third armmembers 109 and 130 may be omitted if the fulcrum about which the firstarm member 8 pivots is provided such that the idler wheel 9 can contactany one of the different diameter portions 10a, 10b and 10c of thecapstan l0 and also the peripheral flange of the turntable 7 thereby totransmit the rotational force from said capstan 10 to said turntable 7.

From the foregoing, it has now become clear that, by turning theadjustment screw 108 in either direction, the height of the idler wheel9 with respect to the capstan 10 can be varied.

It is to be noted that the idle wheel 9 is urged to contact both thecapstan l0 and the peripheral flange of the turntable 7 by the action ofa tension spring 9a.

A main gear 12 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 11 rigidly upwardlyextending from the base plate 3. This main gear 12 has formed on itsupper surface a link axle 13 on which a link boss 14 is rotatablymounted. The link boss 14 carries a friction link 17 rigidly securedthereto, on an upper portion of which a friction lever 15 and anactuating link 16 are relatively rotatably mounted. A tension spring 19is disposed between said friction lever 15 and actuating link 16 so asto bias said lever 15 and link 16 in the opposite directions. However,since the friction lever 15 is, while relatively pulled by said spring19, abutted against a stopper 16a formed in the actuating link 16, thepulling force of the spring 19 is transmitted to the boss 14 throughsaid fn'ction lever 15 and also through said actuating link 16 wherebyfriction is imparted between said actuating link 16 and said frictionlink 17 through said link boss 14.

It is to be noted that rotation of the actuating link 16 is through apredetermine angular distance defined by a cut-outportion 160, formed insaid link 16, in cooperation with a stopper pin 12e formed in the gear12 and situated within said cut-out portion 16c of said actuating link16. Another cut-out portion may be formed in the actuating link 16 as at16d for restricting unnecessary rotation of the friction link 17relative to the actuating link 16, in cooperation with a bent edge 17aformed in said link 17 and situated within said other cut-out portion.

In any event, the actuating link 16 and friction link 17 may be aone-piece construction in which case, the

1. In an automatic record player, the combination which comprises atonearm including a pickup stylus interchangeably carried thereby; aturntable; a turntable drive system comprising an electrical motor forrotating said turntable in one predetermined direction when said motoris operated; an operational mode control including a control knobmanually movable to any one of start, manual and stop positions; anelectrical switch for connecting a suitable power source to said motor;means rotatable between first and second positions and including aspring element for normally urging said rotatable means to said firstposition in which condition said switch is opened, said rotatable meansbeing rotated to the second position when said control knob is movedeither to the start position or to the stop or manual position to closesaid switch thereby to operate said motor; pivotable means rotatabletogether with said tonearm connected therewith by means of a tonearmshaft and having a projection; a drive plate reciprocatable andincluding a cam member rigidly carried thereby at one end thereof;transmission means for transmitting a rotational force of said turntableto said drive plate for causing said drive plate to move in onedirection during a first portion of an operation of said transmissionmeans; a lifting rod having a lower end slidably engaging said cammember and an upper end for supporting said tonearm and operable in sucha manner that, when said drive plate is moved in said one direction,said lifting rod shifts said tonearm upwardly and, when said drive plateis moved in said opposite direction, said lifting rod is allowed todownwardly shift; a record size selector comprising a selector knobmovable among first, second and third detent stop positions, that arerespectively associated with standardized diameters of 7, 10 and 12inches of commercially available records, and at least one positioningplate having stepped edges corresponding to said detent stop positionsof said selector knob, said positioning plate being pivotable inresponse to the movement of said drive plate in said one directionthereby to permit any one of said stepped edges, selected by the settingof said selector knob to the corresponding one of the detent stoppositions, to be positioned in the path of angular travel of saidprojection of said pivotable means for enabling the pickup stylus to beautomatically engaged in the lead-in groove of a record to be played; adetector plate relatively slidably carried by said drive plate, saiddetector plate being movable together with said drive plate when saidcontrol knob is moved to the stop position past the manual position andcapable of undergoing a relative motion with respect to said driveplate, when said control knob is moved to the start position, in such away that, after said drive plate is moved in a predetermined distance insaid one direction, said detector plate is held stationary and saiddrive plate is permitted to further move in said one direction, saiddetector plate including a spring element for urging said detector platein one direction whereby, after said drive plate has been moved apredetermined distance is said opposite direction said detector platecommences to move together with said drive plate further moving in saidopposite direction; escapement means operable, when the control knob ismoved to the start position to cuase said transmission means to undergoone cycle of the operation thereof, to rotate the tonearm in onedirection from the resting position to another position immediatelyabove the lead-in groove of the record to be played in response to therelative motion of said detector plate with respect to said drive plate,said tonearm after having played said record being returned to theresting position by said escapement means when said drive plate is movedin said one direction during a subsequent cycle of operation of saidtransmission means caused upon entry of the pickup stylus in thelead-out groove of said record, said escapement means being operativelycarried by said drive plate adjacent to said cam member and alsooperable, when the control knob is moved to the stop position past themanual position while the record is being played, to immediately returnsaid tonearm to the resting position in response to the movement of saiddrive plate in said one direction caused through said transmission meansby manually moving said control knob to said stop position; means forcausing the relative motion between said detector plate and said driveplate only when said control knob is moved to said start position; meansfor locking said rotatable means in said second position when saidrotatable means is rotated to said second position; and a stop platecarried by the detector plate and frictionally rotatable between firstand second positions, said stop plate being normally maintained in thefirst position when the relative motion between the detector plate andthe drive plate does not take place and rotated to the second positionwhen said relative motion takes place, said stop plate in said secondposition being capable of engaging with said locking means uponcompletion of the movement of said drive plate in said oppositedirection thereby permitting said switch to be turned off with saidrotatable means rotated to said firSt position.
 2. The record player asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said lifting rod includes means for givingcontact pressure to said pivotable means, when said lifting rod is inthe upwardly lifted position with said lower end thereof sliding oversaid cam member, thereby to prevent said pivotable means and, hence, thetonearm, from fluttering during rotation thereof.
 3. The record playeras claimed in claim 1, wherein said lifting rod further includes anadjustment device for adjusting the height of the tonearm with respectto the plane of the turntable.
 4. The record player as claimed in claim1, wherein said turntable drive system further comprises an idler wheel,a capstan rigidly mounted on a drive shaft of said motor and having atleast three different diameter portions and a speed selector knobmanually movable among first, second and third detent positions whichrespectively correspond to said three different diameter portions ofsaid capstan and represent the standardized speeds of 33 1/3 , 45 and 78round per minute of rotation of the turntable, said idler wheel capableof being brought into an operative position by said rotatable means,when said control knob is moved either to the start position or to themanual or stop position, thereby to transmit the rotational force ofsaid capstan to said turntable and brought back to an inoperativeposition when said rotatable means is rotated to said first position. 5.The record player as claimed in claim 4, wherein said idler wheel isprovided with an adjustment device for manually adjusting the height ofsaid idler wheel with respect to any one of said different diameterportions of said capstan.
 6. The record player as claimed in claim 1,further comprising a cuing device for manually forcibly bringing thetonearm to the upwardly shifted position, said cuing device comprising apivotably lever pivotable between operative and inoperative positions, atension spring for urging said pivotable lever to said inoperativeposition a guide member having one end rigidly connected with thelifting rod, said pivotable lever having one end formed as a handle andthe other end slidably engageable with the other end of said guidemember whereby, only when said lever is manually pivoted to theoperative position against the tension spring with said other endthereof lifting said guide member, the lifting rod is forcibly upwardlylifted and, when said lever is allowed to return to the inoperativeposition with said other end thereof separating from said guide member,said lifting rod is allowed to downwardly shift.
 7. In an automaticrecord player, the combination which comprises a tonearm including apickup stylus interchangeably carried thereby; a turntable; a turntabledrive system comprising an electrical motor for rotating said turntablein one predetermined direction when said motor is operated; anoperational mode control including a control knob manually movable toany one of start, manual and stop positions; an electrical switch forconnecting a suitable power source to said motor; means rotatablebetween first and second positions and including a spring element fornormally urging said rotatable means to said first position in whichcondition said switch is opened, said rotatable means being rotated tothe second position when said control knob is moved either to the startposition or to the stop or manual position to close said switch therebyto operate said motor; pivotable means rotatable together with saidtonearm connected therewith by means of a tonearm shaft and having aprojection; a drive plate reciprocable and including a cam memberrigidly carried thereby at one end thereof; transmission means fortransmitting a rotational force of said turntable to said drive platefor causing said drive plate to move in one direction during a firstportion of an operation of said transmission means; a lifting rod havinga lower end slidably engaging said cam member and an upper end forsupporting said tonEarm and operable in such a manner that, when saiddrive plate is moved in said one direction, said lifting rod shifts saidtonearm upwardly and, when said drive plate is moved in said oppositedirection, said lifting rod is allowed to downwardly shift; a recordsize selector comprising a selector knob movable among first, second andthird detent stop positions that are respectively associated withstandardized diameters of 7, 10 and 12 inches of commercially availablerecords, and at least one positioning plate having stepped edgedcorresponding to said detent stop positions of said selector knob, saidpositioning plate being pivotable in response to the movement of saiddrive plate in said one direction thereby to permit any one of saidstepped edges, selected by the setting of said selector knob to thecorresponding one of the detent stop positions, to be positioned in thepath of angular travel of said projection of said pivotable means forenabling the pickup stylus to be automatically engaged in the lead-ingroove of a record to be played; a detector plate relatively slidablycarried by said drive plate, said detector plate being movable togetherwith said drive plate when said control knob is moved to the stopposition past the manual position and capable of undergoing a relativemotion with respect to said drive plate, when said control knob is movedto the start position, in such a way that, after said drive plate ismoved a predetermined distance in said one direction, said detectorplate is held stationary and said drive plate is permitted to furthermove in said one direction, said detector plate including a springelement for urging said detector plate in one direction whereby, aftersaid drive plate has been moved a predetermined distance in saidopposite direction said detector plate commences to move together withsaid drive plate further moving in said opposite direction; escapementmeans operable, when the control knob is moved to the start position tocause said transmission means to undergo one cycle of the operationthereof, to rotate the tonearm in one direction from the restingposition to another position immediately above the lead-in groove of therecord to be played in response to the relative motion of said detectorplate with respect to said drive plate, said tonearm after having playedsaid record being returned to the resting position by said escapementmeans when said drive plate is moved in said one direction during asubsequent cycle of operation of said transmission means caused uponentry of the pickup stylus in the lead-out groove of said record, saidescapement means being operatively carried by said drive plate adjacentto said cam member and also operable, when the control knob is moved tothe stop position past the manual position while the record is beingplayed, to immediately return said tonearm to the resting position inresponse to the movement of said drive plate in said one directioncaused through said transmission means by manually moving said controlknob to said stop position; means for causing the relative motionbetween said detector plate and said drive plate only when said controlknob is moved to said start position; means for locking said rotatablemeans in said second position when said rotatable means is rotated tosaid second position; a stop plate carried by the detector plate andfrictionally rotatable between first and second positions, said stopplate being normally maintained in the first position when the relativemotion between the detector plate and the drive plate does not takeplace and rotated to the second position when said relative motion takesplace, said stop plate in said second position being capable of engagingwith said locking means upon completion of the movement of said driveplate in said opposite direction thereby permitting said switch to beturned off with said rotatable means rotated to said first position; amulti-play turntable spindle a tubular spindle housing a having a loWerend portion formed with an opening, an inner shaft having a lower endportion formed with first and second notches, the first one of which isin register with said opening when said inner shaft is upwardly shiftedwithin said spindle housing, a primary support operatively carried bysaid inner shaft and operable in such a manner that, when said innershaft is in the upwardly shifted position, said primary support comesinto action to support a plurality of records to be played mounted onsaid turntable spindle and a secondary support operatively associatedwith said primary support and operable in such a manner that, when saidprimary support is withdrawn within said spindle housing, said secondarysupport comes into action to support the stack of records except for thelowermost one of them which is then permitted to fall down saidturntable spindle on to the turntable; a spindle drive mechanismincluding a seesaw lever having one end pivotally connected with a fixedframework and the other end carrying thereon a record feeder, and atleast one cam plate rigidly secured to the drive plate and having asubstantially arched slot along which said other end of said seesawlever is guided in response to the movement of the drive plate so as toselectively upwardly and downwardly shift said record feeder, saidrecord feeder having a pivotable hooking member engageable in saidsecond notch of said inner shaft during the downward movement of saidrecord feeder thereby to forcibly lower the inner shaft whereby thelowermost one of the stacked record mounted on the turntable spindle ispermitted to fall down said turntable spindle on to the turntable withsaid primary support withdrawn within said spindle housing and saidsecond support in position to support the stacked records except for thelowermost one of them; and a barrier means for restricting the innershaft from downwardly shifting when the control knob is moved to eitherthe manual position or the stop position past the manual position whilepermitting the record feeder to undergo idle operation.
 8. The recordplayer as claimed in claim 7, wherein said record feeder includes anadjustment device for manually adjusting the positioning of the innershaft within said spindle housing to ensure that, when said feeder isupwardly shifted, said inner shaft is upwardly shifted with thesecondary support withdrawn within the spindle housing whereby insertionand removal of the records can be facilitated.